Today in Beijing, the word hutong means a small alleyway or lane. They are typical of the old part of Beijing and are formed by lines of Siheyuans in which most Beijing residents used to live. Hutong culture is important to Beijing residents. Walking through the hutongs, it is common to see groups of elderly citizens sitting together playing cards, mahjong or Chinese chess. In the early mornings and evenings, they gather to practice traditional forms of exercise such as Taiji as well as to dance and sing folk songs or Peking Opera arias. Hutong life is also famous for the traditional foods in carts or small stalls being sold here. Food changes according to the season as to the activities of the residents.

Some of Beijing’s best-preserved hutongs and courtyards can be found around Nanluoguxiang, one of

the city’s 25 historical and cultural protection areas, north of the Forbidden City. Here several courtyards in Heizhima Hutong are open to visitors. Unwinding a day’s busy tour while sitting in one of the bars or cafes along these hutongs can be very refreshing.

Many of the well-preserved, larger-scale royal courtyards are now renovated to be fancy restaurants with delicious local cuisines. Everyday they are crowed with both foreign and domestic visitors. One of the concentrated areas of these is along the shores of Houhai Lake in Beijing’s central Shichahai Lake District. Please ask your tour guide or taxi driver to take you there.